Amazon eating Google online search ad share: eMarketer

Amazon is eating into Google's giant slice of online search advertising in the US as businesses target the online retail platform's shoppers, according to an eMarketer forecast released on Tuesday.

Google will continue to dominate the market for serving up ads along with search results, but Amazon and "smaller players" including Walmart, Target, eBay and Pinterest are seeing their shares grow, the market tracker said.

Ads displayed along with query results at shopping sites are seen as having good odds of catching the eyes of consumers while they are intent on buying something.

"Amazon's ad business has attracted massive increases in spending because advertisers can reach consumers during product queries, a time when they're ready to buy," eMarketer principal analyst Nicole Perrin said.

"Amazon has also rolled out better measurement and targeting tools, making it even more attractive for advertisers."